Members present:
Gina Eubanks, Southern University, Louisiana
Nayda Torres, Univ. of Fla.
Margaret Hale, Texas A&M St. Univ.
Deborah Thomason, Clemson University
Linda Harriman, Oklahoma State
Jean Baldwin, NC A&T State University
Carolyn Dunn for Sandy Zaslow, NC State University
Sue Badenhop, University of Kentucky
Raven Bennett for Jorge Atiles, Univ. of GA

Call to Order
Minutes from January 7, 2005 Conference Call were approved (amended to remove Sue Chapman as a participant)

Annual work plan update:

FCS/4-H Overweight Conference
The group commended Nayda and her faculty for pulling together this successful conference. Nayda will be emailing the program leaders with the new website where state plans generated at the conference can be found. A listserve has been set up with all conference participants.

FCS Modules
All groups are still working to complete their modules FRM and Nutrition are at the stage of design and conversion for the web.

FCS Program Leaders' Spring Meeting
At this time it does not seem that a face to face meeting in the spring is necessary. Jean will check with Lynne to see if there are things she is working on that need to be reported.

Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program
Linda H. the group should be receiving communication from her soon. There was an increase in the President's budget for EFNEP. The EFNEP task force is asking for 65M - must be above 63M before there would be funds for 1890 participation. There is some consideration to cut nutrition programs in the Farm Bill. Congressional hearings on EFNEP were held and were well attended. There are several tools available (NASALGIC website) when working with congressional leaders on this topic.

The guidance for FNP has been released for FY06. The guidance continues to allow work in schools. Atlanta region is having a meeting April 12 and 13 as orientation for writing proposals.

Advisors Update

Margaret Hayle
Southern Region Directors will be meeting next week in Corpus Christi TX.
Attended National Director's meeting. A main focus of the meeting was funding. The group is using a document "managing a changing funding portfolio" as a guide.

E extension was also a major focus with the group working to get this up and going. Brochures and CDs have been distributed through the Directors.

There is a work group addressing economic impact of programming in all areas of Extension.

Gena Eubanks
Extension Administrators met in Washington where they met with key USDA personnel and visited the national 4H center. The 1890 President has designated obesity as a priority.

State Updates

Oklahoma - just hired Robert Whitson Dean of Agriculture - asking state legislature for reinstatement of funds lost for the research stations

South Carolina - first year without early buy out for retirement

Florida - Extension has provided the state legislature with a possible formula for funding that uses contacts at the county level to assign funding level. This would allow for increase in funding as citizens increase interaction with Extension.

Kentucky - interviews scheduled for director's position

Next conference call date: July 1, 2005 - 9:00 a.m. Central Time. Call-in number is (662) 325-8448